A tragic incident at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Burnstone project claimed four lives when a newly constructed surface waste rock conveyor collapsed.

The project is located near the town of Balfour in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province. The collapse occurred while five contractor employees were installing a head pulley of the conveyor infrastructure. Tragically four persons were fatally injured, while a fifth person sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment.

A full investigation into the exact cause of the incident is underway and all relevant stakeholders have been informed.

Outpour of condolences following the incident

Sibanye-Stillwater released a statement expressing sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased, by the company’s board and management.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) also sent a statement of condolences to the families and colleagues of the workers who have lost their lives. “One life lost is one too many. No one deserves to lose their life in the line of duty. We wish the injured workers speedy recovery,” the statement read.

The Department’s Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate, which visited the mine yesterday, has commenced a full investigation in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act, to determine the cause of the incident that took place.

In another statement, the Minerals Council South Africa also sent its condolences and re-affirmed its continued resolve to drive the journey to zero harm. “The 34% reduction in fatalities we achieved in 2022 to the lowest number of fatalities ever shows we are able to make step changes in our quest for zero harm.  We will study the incident at Burnstone and take the lessons from it to ensure there is no repeat of this tragic event,” said Japie Fullard, chair of the Minerals Council CEO Zero Harm Forum.